Earth science news covering geology, seismology, volcanology, plate tectonics, and planetary surface processes.
A NASA-supported study in Science Advances suggests Earth acquired phosphorus and nitrogen primarily from the inner solar system, not outer solar system chondrites. Researchers reconstructed P/N ratios using iron meteorites and chondrites, finding first-generation planetesimals had higher ratios in the outer solar system.
Researchers discovered a second line of symmetry along the 27° east and 153° west meridians, dividing Earth into hemispheres with nearly equal reflectivity, cloud cover, and ice-free ocean fractions. The east-west symmetry shifts with ENSO and is currently stable, unlike the weakening north-south symmetry.
This commentary argues that a recent study showing metabolic-like activity in sterile soil suggests that certain biochemical reactions may not be unique to life, potentially predating it. The author contends that this finding challenges the boundary between biology and geology, implying that the chemistry of life may be a fundamental property of matter.